B.C. orders Hobo Hot Springs restored, as new fence blocks off public use
Province says fence put up to protect area while restoration work is underway
The B.C. government has ordered the restoration of free natural hot spring pools that were mysteriously filled with dirt and boulders last fall.
The government had launched an investigation into the damage at Hobo Hot Springs, a Crown resource, last October.
The Ministry of Forests last week said it couldn't release a copy of the order to restore the springs because it's related to an active investigation.
However, the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship said it was working to fix the stream with the owner and general manager of the nearby Harrison Hot Springs Resort, which did not respond to a request for comment.
Harrison Hot Springs Mayor Fred Talen said on Monday that the resort is complying with the order to remove rocks and boulders placed in the public pools, but he was "really disappointed" a new fence was put up around the stream on the weekend.
Talen blamed the resort for the fence.
"I think it's a mistake, it's a misstep, it's inappropriate at best. At its worst, it could be viewed as disrespectful," said Talen.
However, the government said on Tuesday that the fence was part of the restoration process, to "discourage people from moving boulders and disrupting the spring" while work is underway.
Randene Neill, minister of water, land and resource stewardship, said in a statement that she knew the springs mean a "great deal" to people in the local community, and the ministry is working with the resort to return the site to its natural state.
"Once the work is done, it will be removed so that people can again enjoy this beautiful area," Neill said.
Photographs provided by Talen show a sign deterring the public from accessing the water on a large brick-and-metal structure.
"Do not enter water. Hot mineral water temperatures vary and will cause injury," the sign reads.
Before the pools were filled in last fall, the spring had been used for free by First Nations people and other locals for many years.
The Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship said last year that filling or making changes to the spring would require approval, and none was given.
The Ministry of Forests said in a statement last week that a Water Sustainability Act order has been issued to restore the site to its previous state.
Talen said the village would continue to have conversations with the resort to enhance the hot springs experience in a way that benefited the resort, the Sts'ailes First Nation and the village, which is 130 kilometres east of Vancouver.
The resort is owned by Aldesta Hotels & Resorts.
The Ministry of Water, Land, and Resource Stewardship said the investigation into how the springs got filled in is ongoing, and the next steps will be determined after order compliance is verified.